I was kicked out of the house, and I was reborn and became the emperor

The armies of both sides finally broke out of the battle formation, leaving behind countless broken bodies and limbs on the battlefield, with blood flowing like a river, which was a horrifying scene.

Outside the battlefield, Wu Minbo continued to gallop on his horse until he had put enough distance between them, then he slowly pulled the reins, breathing heavily. Following closely behind him were generals Han Shizhong and Jinshui from Youzhou, who were also breathing rapidly and covered in wounds.

While several generals were simply bandaging their wounds, they looked back at the cavalrymen who had followed them with sad expressions. The number of them was less than half of what it was when they set out on the expedition. Of the 100,000 cavalrymen, only less than 50,000 were left. Such a tragic loss was beyond everyone's expectations.

"Governor, look over there!" Fang Yi shouted loudly, pointing in the direction of the Jurchen cavalry.

When the generals heard the sound and looked, they saw that the Jurchen cavalry that had broken through the siege did not turn around to prepare for a second charge, but advanced at full speed and attacked the Great Zhou infantry phalanx that was busy retreating.

The infantry formation, which was already on the verge of collapse due to the defeat of the heavy armored battalion, now seemed even more precarious.

Wu Minbo's heart tightened and he wanted to turn his horse around to rush to the rescue, but he was stopped by two Youzhou generals.

"What do you two generals mean?" Wu Minbo asked in confusion.

"Old Wu, we have been on the battlefield for a long time and have experienced hundreds of battles. You should know the consequences of infantry encountering cavalry attacks."

Han Shizhong said with a sad face, "My heavy armor battalion has been completely wiped out. The army from Zhongyuan collapsed before the battle. The Youzhou infantry has lost its formation under Shangguan Yu's stupid command and can only go with the flow."

Han Shi's face became more and more angry as he spoke these words.

Jin Shui spat out a mouthful of bright red blood and continued, "If the 80,000 infantrymen can form a battle array and hold out until our army comes to our aid, even if they are defeated in the end, the 200,000 Jurchen army will be severely damaged and unable to continue. Now that General Anbei has withdrawn his troops without authorization, no matter how capable we are, we can't save the situation!"

"Are we just going to let them become victims of the Jurchens in vain?" Wu Minbo screamed at the top of his lungs. He knew the situation was irreversible and tears welled up in his eyes.

"They can die, and so can we! But we must not fall here. If we have to die, we must die somewhere meaningful!"

Han Shizhong turned his gaze to Jiayuguan.

"If the army is defeated, the Jurchens will take advantage of the situation to capture Jiayu Pass, where there are only more than 10,000 infantrymen. We must return quickly. Once Jiayu Pass is lost, hundreds of thousands of people will be trampled by the iron hoofs. We should go back and fight on the walls of Jiayu Pass until the last moment!"

Jin Shui threw away his broken weapon and said, "Our army is already at the end of its strength, with broken weapons and exhausted horses. A rash charge will only lead to more casualties!"

Wu Minbo was stunned when he heard this. He looked at the collapsed infantry camp, then looked towards the direction of Jiayu Pass and nodded slowly.

"Governor, the Jurchens may take advantage of their victory to invade Yunzhou. Please grant me three thousand soldiers to defend Yunzhou."

Wu Minbo raised his head and saw that it was Fang Yi who asked for orders.

"Correct! Remember, Yunzhou must not be lost!"

"Yes, sir!" Fang Yi clasped his fists and answered firmly.

Everyone gazed at the devastated battlefield for the last time, and at the tens of thousands of infantrymen who were about to be engulfed in the flames of war. After bowing deeply, they resolutely turned around and left without hesitation. They split into two groups, one heading to Yunzhou and the other to Jiayuguan, embarking on their own journey of destiny.

The Jurchen cavalry that had been fighting Zhao Zhixun had already been chasing the scattered infantry phalanx with all their might. At this time, a deputy general approached Zhao Zhixun, his eyes flickered, and his voice trembled as he asked, "General, should we... go to support him?"

Zhao Zhixun's eyes swept across the Jurchen cavalry that was coming again in the distance. The troops beside him had already shown signs of fear and were shrinking back. Turning back to look at the infantry that was already being pressed, he swallowed hard and cursed in his heart: Shangguan Yu, you were the first to break your promise, don't blame me for being ruthless!

"Retreat! All troops must return to Jiayuguan immediately, and move quickly!"

"As ordered!"

After the order was given, the soldiers rushed towards Jiayuguan.

Zhao Zhixun knew very well that it was meaningless to go to the main camp of Wangque at this moment. He was afraid that the fierce Jurchen cavalry would follow him before he could gain a foothold.

The infantry phalanx completely collapsed. Without the strong defense of the heavy armored battalion, ordinary infantry could hardly stop the cavalry charge even if they defended with all their might, let alone while they were fleeing.

Some Youzhou generals who intended to organize resistance were heartbroken when they saw the Central Plains infantry fleeing in all directions.

In their eyes, the only way to survive is to escape and be one step faster than others.

Shangguan Yu looked at the soldiers who were fleeing hurriedly from his side, and a chill ran up from the soles of his feet to his head.

No one responded to his orders, and all he could hear were panic, wailing, and the sounds of the Jurchen knights killing each other!

He watched with his own eyes as Zhao Zhixun led his troops to withdraw from the battlefield, and the anger in his heart had cursed the ancestors of the Zhao family countless times.

Shangguan Yu gritted his teeth, hardened his heart, abandoned his entire army, and fled with dozens of personal guards.

Shangguan Muzhan was also lost in the chaos and his life or death is unknown.

The commander fled, morale collapsed, and 80,000 infantrymen abandoned their weapons and fled in all directions like a tide.

The Jurchen scimitars easily reaped lives from behind. The infantry who had lost their formation were like lambs to be slaughtered in front of the nomadic people, and their wailings resounded through the sky.

In the spring of the 17th year of Taining, the Jurchens and the Great Zhou launched a decisive battle on the Wangque Plain. 140,000 soldiers of the Great Zhou died on the battlefield, and many officers and soldiers died!

The spring breeze is cold, and instead of bringing warmth, it seems like a continuation of the severe winter cold, making people feel even more desolate.

……

Fang Yi led his troops and advanced towards Yunzhou like a storm, followed closely by the remaining one thousand brave warriors of the Chiyu Camp and the two thousand cavalry generously reinforced by Wu Minbo.

This journey lasted more than a day and a night, without any food or water. They only stopped briefly along the way, and then continued on their way day and night without stopping.

Since the establishment of the Akabane Battalion, it has never suffered such a heavy blow. New recruits have grown rapidly in the war, but veterans have fallen one after another. The comrades around them are either dead or injured, and a cloud of sadness hangs over everyone's heart.

Fang Yi was filled with indignation and hatred for Shangguan Yu's cowardly behavior of fleeing without fighting. It was this man who destroyed the lives and glory of 80,000 warriors.

"Yunzhou, this is the place I will defend to the death!" Fang Yi swore secretly in his heart.

At this time, Lu Qi came running from the rear of the team and said after a little hesitation: "General, there are several barbarians from the Jurchen tribe not far away chasing an old friend."

"Old friend? Who?" Fang Yi felt a hint of curiosity.

"Yes...it's Shangguan Muzhan!" Lu Qi answered hesitantly.

Fang Yi's expression suddenly became solemn. With a wave of his arm, the mighty team came to an abrupt stop.

"Yujing, Changzhen, Luqi, the three of you follow me. Chen Xiao, you lead the rest of the troops and go ten miles ahead to wait for me."

"Yes, sir!" Chen Xiao accepted the order and led his troops forward.

Shangguan Muzhan staggered and fled in the valley, and got separated from Shangguan Yu in the chaos. He was blindly moving around with only a few bodyguards. Since he was unfamiliar with the terrain, he was unfortunately followed by the Jurchen cavalry.

Perhaps it was because his luxurious clothes gave away his identity, the group of barbarians kept chasing him. After one day, all his personal guards were killed, leaving him alone.

In a panic, Shangguan Muzhan's horse's hoof accidentally sank into a pit, and with a scream, he fell heavily.

When he struggled to get up, he found his legs were trembling weakly. Seeing the Jurchen cavalry approaching, the hideous smile became clearer in his eyes. Despair came quietly like the call of the god of death.